Teat-cup construction



Nov; 17, 1942. F. GQHoDsDQN 2,302,443

TEAT-CUP CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 28, 1940 -BJPMG-PM Patented Nov. 17, 1942 Y TEAT-CUP CONSTRUCTION Floyd G. Hodsdon, Milwaukee, Wis., assigner to International Harvester Company, a corporation of New Jersey Application February 28, 1940, Serial No. 321,195

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a teat cup construction.

lIn the patent to Hodsdon 1,955,810, dated April 24, 1934, there is shown a teat cup assembly comprising a metallic shell having an outwardly extending ange at one end and a rubber lining member fitted within the shell. The present construction has been devised to overcome certain inherent disadvantages in the use of an outwardly extending flange on the metallic shell.

An object of the present invention is the provision of an improved teat cup construction.

A further object is to provide a teat cup assembly of relatively small outer diameter.

Another object is the provision of a teat cup construction in which the metallic shell may be conveniently and easily assembled with the rubber lining or inflation member.

According to the present invention, the metallic shell of a teat cup assembly is provided with an inwardly extending radial flange at one end. The rubber lining, commonly referred to as an inflation member, adapted to fit within the shell, has a bead which lies within the flange and a cylindrical extension which embraces the portion of the shell, adjacent the flange.

In the drawing,

IFigure 1 shows the novel teat cup assembly of the present invention in section; and

Figures 2 and 3 show sectional views of stages in the assembly of the parts of the teat cup assembly.

As shown in Figure 1, a cylindrical shell I Il has a reduced portion II at one end and an inwardly extending radial llange I2 at the other end having a small uniform inside radius where it joins the shell.l Fitting within the shell IU is a rubber lining or ination I3 having a portion I4 of relatively large inner and outer diameters, and a portion I5 of relatively small inner and outer diameters extending from the shell and having a series of external ribs I6, the space between any two of which the reduced portion II of the shell I0 engages. The end of the lining adjacent the flange I2 has an inturned lip Il of reduced diameter and a reversed cylindrical extension I8 embracing the outer portion of the shell adjacent the ilange I2 integrally joined to the portion I3 of the lining by a curved portion I8. The lining I3 also has an outwardly projectng bead I9 spaced from the inner surface of the curved portion I8 a distance equal to the thickness lof the shell IU, which fits within the ilange I2.

Figure 1 shows the shell I0 and the in'ilation I3 in assembled position ready for use. Inuse, a cows teat is sucked into the lining I 3 by means of vacuum. The lip II is the dividing line between the atmospheric pressure outside Aand the part of the teat under vacuum inside the liner, and milking is4 effected by vacuum. The movement of the portion Hof the lining against and away from the teat by means of air and vacuum alternately applied to the space between the shell I0 and the lining I3 massages the teat and thus keeps the blood circulating in the fleshy part of the teat exposed to vacuum that is below the lip I'I.

It is desirable to have the largest diameter of the teat cup assembly, that is, the outside diam- Hodsdon patent, the outside diameter of the extension I8 would have to be considerably larger, or the thickness of the extension immediately adjacent the outwardly extending ilange would be so thin that tearing of the extension, or cutting by being kbumped against hard surfaces, might occur at this point.

IAnother advantage of the use of an inwardly extending shell flange lies in the ease of assembly of the lining within the casing. Figures 2 and 3 illustrate stages in the assembly. Figure 2 shows the inwardly extending flange of the shell about to enter the space between the portion I4 of the lining and the cylindrical extension I8. Since the outside of the flange I2 is curved, the extension |18 is easily expanded to permit entry of the shell in the space between the portion I4 of the lining and the cylindrical extension I8. IFigure 3 shows the shell and the lining just prior to movement of the flange I2 into engagement with the lip or bead I9. By use of the bead I9, which is rounded on its outer surface, an easy passage of the flange I2 up into its position in engagement with the bead is possible. The connections at the top of the annular recess provided between the inflation I3 and the cylindrical extension I8 are formed when molding to iit the inside and outside curvatures of the flange I2.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that a new and novel teat cup construction 55 has been provided. It is the intention to limit the scope of the invention only within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a teat-cup construction, an inexible casing having an inturned flange at one end, and a flexible lining within the casing tting closely within the flange and the portion of the casinfr immediately adjacent thereto throughout the entire peripheral extent of the ange and the said portion, said lining having an extension embracing the exterior of the portion of the casing opposite the inturned flange as far as a point somewhat spaced below the llange, the, exterior of the portion of the casing embraced by the extension of the lining beingV devoid of external projections.

2. In a teat-cup construction, an inflexible casing having an inturned flange at oneend,` and a flexible lining fitting Within the casing and having a bead closely fitting within the flange,

and an extension embracing the exterior. of the portion of the casing opposite the flange to a point Isomewhat spaced below the ilangethe ex* terior of thel portion of the casingv embraced by the extension of the lining being devoid of external projections.

3. In a teat-cup construction, a rigid shell having an annularA inturned flange at one end having a concave inner surface, and a resilient in flation member having a lining portion within the shell, said lining being provided at the flanged end of the shell with a curved portion extending outwardly over the flange in contact therewith, and an integral extension embracing the exterior of the shell opposite the ilange to a point somewhat spaced below the flange, the exterior cf the portion of the shell embraced by the lining being devoid of external projections.

4. In a teat-cup construction, a rigid shell having an annular inturned flange at one end having a concave inner surface and said shell having anl opening at the other end, and a resilient ination member having a lining portion within the shell spaced therefrom and a tubular connectionextending through the opening in the shell, said lining being provided at the lianged end of the shell with a curved portion extending outwardly over the flange in contact therewith, an extension embracing the exterior of the shell opposite the flange to a point somewhat spaced below the flange, and an outwardly extending beadhaving a curved surface adapted to t inside the concave inner surface of the flange in contact therewith, the exterior of the portion of the shell embraced by the extension of the lining being devoid of external projections.

FLOYD G. HODSDON. 

